Podcast Junkies: Iain Lee

Not just one of the best podcasts out there at the moment but Iain Lee is one of the most refreshing voices to be heard on radio for many years. The daily podcast of his late night talk show on TalkRadio is essential listening.

Iain Lee has a unique ability to be able to cover any topic ranging from really serious social issues to complete madness, he’s able to bounce from varying topics and treat each one on it’s merits with the correct dose of dignity, humour and honesty.

Who is Iain Lee?

Iain Lee has been around the block for many years as a broadcaster and comedian. His career started on Channel 4’s 11 O’Clock show in the 90’s, alongside the likes of Ricky Gervais and Sacha Baron Cohen. More recently his broadcasting career became the focus of the mainstream media after an encounter with a Christian Lawyer, who on national airwaves of the BBC defended the homophobic actions of a client. Iain Lee, speaking his mind and the minds of any right thinking person in modern society, completely slated this views and called them out for exactly what they were, bigotry… he was fired by BBC.

It’s these kind of actions that make Iain Lee a bit of a cult hero in radio broadcasting. He speaks with no agenda and with no loyalty to anyone but his listeners. The story above is a perfect example, what would most radio presenters in this position do, brush it aside and end the call… press the dump button… say thanks to the guest and then slate them off air. What Iain Lee wanted to do is make someone accountable for their comments, he wanted to say what the VAST majority of his listeners would say if they were in his seat. The fact that he’s on the radio is always secondary, it’s like he carries on as if he could be anywhere and forgets there’s a mic infront of him and it makes for entertaining radio.

Radio presenters today are becoming increasingly like glorified salesmen. They take orders from above and try and sell products, competitions and “safe” thoughts to those they broadcast to. There’s no risks taken for fear of bad ratings. They are the opposite of Iain Lee, their first thought is always that they are on the radio, and that means following a rule book. No one is willing to be different for fear of losing their jobs… in fairness it’s no wonder why! but It has made radio boring to listen to, everyone is discussing the same things, reading from the sam scripts(literally!), more concerned about following rules that treat the audience like idiots. Is it any wonder that podcasts are becoming far more interesting than radio, much of which is slowly becoming little more than background noise.

Iain Lee is different, he doesn’t sound like he’s reading from a script, his focus is not based around branding, cross-promotion, competitions, arrogance and desperation… he tears up the rulebook and it’s great!!

Iain Lee Podcast

Why is it so great? it’s hard to put into words!! you have no idea what your going to get. Iain himself makes no bones of this, he’s always been refreshingly honest and tells you straight up “this could be good or this could be rubbish”… it’s actually very difficult to describe apart from that, it goes from discussing something very serious like a caller who is suicidal to complete an utter random discussions from the regular callers like Nigel in Maidestone and the legendary Barry from Watford…

There’s completely out of the ordinary games and features like “Katie Hopkins Bingo”, where listeners guess what topic competitor station LBC and presenter Katie Hopkins are covering… after which Iain checks the LBC feed to see if they are right. What kind of radio show not only mentions a competitor, but plays a live feed from their competitor? It’s unheard of, it’s against the rules… but actually Iain Lee is thinking outside the box, he’s making fun of how predictable mainstream radio is while highlighting how different his show is to the rest.

He bounces between topics at a seriously fast-pace as apposed to the usual 1 hour, 1 topic structure of radio phone in shows… but if you’re in the pub with mates, do you discuss 1 topic in 1 hour? that old stale format once again, is a narrow minded view on how we should be entertained “People can’t possibly process multiple topics in one hour”… says the radio consultant… radio now surely should, flow at a natural pace and not be strictly formatted.

It’s hard to condense this show into 30 / 40 minutes of audio, but listening to the podcast gives you a taste for what Iain Lee is all about… even if you’re not completely sold right away, stick with it. It’s a complete mix bag orchestrated by an absolute master of his trade, who if justice existed would be getting way more credit and money for his talents. The money some broadcasters are on today is sickening… and what REAL purpose do a lot of them serve us as an audience?? Give 90% of the big earners Iain Lee’s job and they wouldn’t be able to do it! yet he’s somehow found himself refined to a DAB radio station… perhaps DAB is the only format given the freedom to do something creative. All we can do is try and get him the listeners he deserves.

Subscribe to his podcast!!!! We need more Iain Lee’s if radio is to survive as a form of entertainment!

9 thoughts on “Podcast Junkies: Iain Lee”

Its a great podcast, but if you can listen to the full show – and you can because its on DAB and available on “catch up” – you can better appreciate the sheer joy of a full three hour show – talkRADIO bosses say a full show podcast is coming.

No other presenter has ever been as fearless in allowing their show to go off on tangents and find it’s own way. Iains mastery of radio combines with producer Katherines Boyles brilliant understanding of radio, to give us three hours of radio heaven daily.

While the formats of so many talk stations have turned into orchestrated hate-fests. Iains show shines for for its exuberance as well as it’s ability to touch on the sadder or harder aspects of life with sympathy and understanding. Callers range in age from 10 to into their 90s, you will laugh, you might cry
– and you might find yourself involved in some involuntary karaoke.

Download the (currently abridged) podcast for a taste of what makes the show so great, but for the full experience tune in and enjoy the whole show, it can be a roller-coaster, it can be a mystery tour, but it is always engaging and you will always come to the end of a show feeling so much better about the world than when you started.

Agreed the full show is much better… I often fall asleep mid way through as I’m a bit of an earlier riser so the podcast is my go to the next day.

Couldn’t agree more on everything else you said, it’s been so long long time since I genuinely got hooked on a radio show, something I look forward to on a daily basis the same I would my favourite TV shows…

Haven’t heard of Iain Lee, but I’m not British, so maybe that makes sense. 🙂 that being said, he sounds like an interesting character! Always appreciate people like him, that’ll cut through the crap and let you know what’s really happening. Takes the “rulebook” and tosses it aside. Certainly my kinda guy, and I will be listening to a podcast soon. Thanks!

His honest human approach to every “TOPIC” by far the best radio in the UNIVERSE from the beginning to the end of time … And then some

He shares himself with us give us a laugh mostly but also serious stuff were he genuinely speaks his mind not afraid to use his own life experience with depression & his mother on air for which he gets top RESPECT from myself & the majority of his listeners / followers

If your NOT a narrow minded racist religious bigot you will absolutely fall in LOVE with this show

There are a few VERY NASTY HATERS out there who take pleasure in attack & troll
To them I say that the LOVE WILL WIN & We outnumber you massively so you are irelavant & hopefully a knock on the door from the boys in blue is just around the corner

Yes listen again is available & we are hopefull that a full show podcast will be available soon

UNOFFICIALLY many other methods to get past shows existhttp://iainlee.cu.ma/
This is a fan led service nothing to do with Iain or talkRADIO (or me😊)

You can also watch the show on periscope a lot or the time (internet permitting)
Periscope.tv/iainlee

Listen live on DAB … talkRADIO.co.uk & phone apps

I am a MASSIVE FAN & have been for a very very long time

Give Iain a listen
Try a full show or two
If it’s not your cup of tea just add sugar & try again:-)